The City of Lynchburg will begin deconstructing the College Lake dam today.
According to Whitney Roberts, communications specialist for the City of Lynchburg’s water resources department, workers using large equipment have started breaching the dirt dam. The work, which is being done 24/7, will take at least five days.
“There will be increased dump truck traffic at both entrances to the construction area on Lakeside Drive,” Roberts said, adding that construction, engineering, and city vehicles may be parked in lots around the University of Lynchburg’s main entrance, including at Moon Field.
“We are trying to keep as many vehicles out of the construction area as possible. For safety reasons, we request that no one goes onto the construction site. There will be increased dump truck traffic and large equipment working to breach the dam.”
Roberts added, “We’ve been bringing down the lake levels since February. We have a pump system in place to manage water levels during the dam-breaching process.”
To watch the work progress, check out the city’s live feed.
Built in 1934, College Lake was once the largest urban lake in the city of Lynchburg. For decades, it was a recreational area and outdoor laboratory for students, faculty, and staff at Lynchburg College and later the University of Lynchburg.
Once the dam is removed, the lake bed will be transformed into a wetlands ecosystem, where students and faculty will have opportunities to take part in environmental studies and hands-on projects.
